Thursday, August 19, 2010

Black Bean Confetti Salad

Now that I have a "normal"job and work "normal"hours, I have been cooking a bit more. Also with my new job, I am able to have more of a life outside of work. On Thursday nights, a couple from church has what is called "Family Dinner." Basically, someone makes dinner or they order out. Eric and Laura (the hosts) also have a sweet apartment WITH a backyard so we get to eat outside on these nice summer nights (and watch fireflies while we are eating).

Given my diet (which is about to become very strict starting in September) I made my own dinner for tonight. I was looking on the internet for something different, and I found the black bean confetti salad:

2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and well-rinsed

4 bell peppers, a mix of colors, chopped into a small dice

1/2 super-large or 1 medium white onion, chopped into a small dice

Juice of one lime

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon honey

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Optional: If you’re the kind of person who loves cilantro, it’s a great match for this salad.

Mix beans, bell peppers and white onion in a large bowl. In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk remaining ingredients into a vinaigrette. Ideally, you’ll have a 1/2 cup of dressing. Pour it over the bean mixture, toss it well and adjust seasonings to taste.

I obviously didn't make the amount called for above, and I added ingredients like mango, avocado and tomato. I also did no measuring on the dressing ingredients, but I did use all of them.